Meeting New Friends . . .

May 21, 2012

Today Sister Martino came in and invited me to go to lunch with her and two friends that she has made here.  

First a little background:  She first met Mary Lou at the Mini Market.  She was waiting to pay for something and Mary Lou stepped up and paid for it.  They chatted for a few moments and then Sister Martino left.  But Sister Martino felt like she needed to offer to give this girl a ride home.  She went back to the Mini Mart ( she had been gone for about 10 minutes) and when she got back, Mary Lou was still there.  She talked to her about the church and invited her to come to their home for dinner.  Mary Lou lives in Angeles and works here.  Her husband and 3 children live in in the southern part of the Philippines.  She had just gotten back from visiting them for her month vacation from work.  She has a baby who just turned 1 who she has not seen for 9 months!  How many of you could do that??  She is such a sweet lady as is Ana!!

We were going to go to Zapatas for Mexican food, but they are closed on Monday so we went to Berettos. Mary Lou and her friend Ana, who is a member of the church, came with us.  Mary Lou and Ana were so gracious.  This was my first time meeting either of them.  We enjoyed a fun lunch.  When we asked for our check, the waitress told us that an American man who had been sitting behind us had already taken care of our bill!  We were so surprised and wanted to thank him.  The waitress said that he goes in there often and she would give him our thanks.

Ana and Mary Lou

Ana, Sister Martino and Mary Lou

Ana, Me, and Mary Lou

Last Monday evening (June 4, 2012) we had Family Home Evening at the mission home.  Mary Lou and Ana joined us.  We were playing a game where you draw a picture of your favorite story from the scriptures an everyone guess what it is.  When we got to Mary Lou, she had a house with trees, flowers and the sky.  She said that she had started to read the Book of Mormon and that she felt a peaceful feeling.  Non of us knew she was reading the book.  Sister Martino was so excited . . . she is such a great missionary!!

Some wonderful new friends . . . . 

A Visit to Nayong Pilipino . . ..

May 19, 2012
We visited Nayong Pilipino again on our P-day.  We are getting close to going home.  I wanted to get some pictures to take home that I knew I could buy there from the artist. The Assistants went with us . . .

They have their own jeepney as you go in the entrance . . .

This lady works at Nayon Pilipino - She is a member of the church.  She does weaving there and sells place mats that are are like her skirt.

This man is repairing this display in his native costume. 

Closer look at the native costume of this worker.

One of the displays with native costumes

The security guard wanted a picture with us . . . Me, the guard, Elder Ilaya, Elder Jewkes and Elder Leedom

May Transfers . . .

May 15 & 16, 2012
Another six weeks have passed since we sent missionaries home and had new missionaries arrive in the mission.  This is always a bittersweet time . . .   We send some great missionaries home . . .

Elder Flor, Sisters, Cabela, Parilla, Espartero & Dorosan and Elder Cabanisan

They are ready to head to Manila for a temple session.  They spend the night in Manila and then fly home the next day. ~ ~ ~ Farewell!

  We welcome arriving missionaries!

Welcoming new missionaries . . . and gathering their bags

Elder and Sister Lutz arrive with the young missionaries ~ Sister Martino welcoming the new missionaries

Retiring the suit coats for two years . . . it is way to hot in the Philippines for a suit coat!

Our May arrivals - foreign and local missionaries with the President and Sister Martino

Lunch with Friends . . .

May 12, 2012

We went to Cabanatuan today.  The stake president is a tailor and I took some fabric to him to have some skirts and blouses made.  The only problem was he wasn't there . . . we left the fabric, with instructions, with Sister Bowcutt who took them to the stake president on Monday. 

But this also gave us an opportunity to enjoy lunch with the Bowcutts at Rusticas.  After all, the next day was Mother's Day!  What a better way than to celebrate with friends!

Elder and Sister Bowcutt

Elder and Sister Bowcutt and Elder and Sister Jewkes

May 17, 2012

Elder and Sister Lutz arrive this week.  They are the couple who will be replacing the Bowcutts in Cabanatuan and Bongabon.  The Bowcutts came to the mission  home to pick up this new couple . . . so of course we all had to have a lunch date before they left . . . . Here we are at Zapatas.  This is where we all get our Mexican food fix . . . I think they are the only Mexican restraint in town! 

From left to right:  Sister Lutz, Sister Bowcutt, me, Elder Jewkes, Elder Bowcutt and Elder Lutz

It's always fun to spend time with friends!!

House Checks . . . . .

May 11, 2012
Ever six weeks we do house checks.  We go to each of the missionaries' apartments in our zone to make sure that they are keeping things clean and neat.  "Cleanliness is next to Godliness".  Of course my camera was in my lap and ready to capture some of the sites along the way as well as a few missionaries . . . .

This sign is on many trucks or jeepney type vehicles.  They are for private use . . .

A cute little girl with her dolly

This 'garden' is across the street from where the sisters live.  Provident living . . .

You can see that the 'garden' is over a ditch

Filling in some road work with buckets of concrete . . .

This is a round about in Sta Rosa - in the middle of town . . . .

An interesting home along the roadway

A woman carrying peanuts on her head . . .

These 3 boys love to have their pictures taken.  Each time we go to to San Lucia they ask me to take their picture.

Me, a member in San Lucia and Elder Jewkes

Elder Jewkes, Elder Nunn, Elder Gapor, Elder Cabato and Elder Swapp